Practical approaches to improve laboratory performance and transfusion safety

Laboratory quality can be defined as "doing the right thing right." The chance of doing the right thing right is greater if basic process control systems are implemented in laboratories. The elements of process control were reviewed, and practical suggestions for organizing procedures, training, determining competency, maintaining equipment, and implementing self-assessment and process improvement activities were offered. Although process control can improve the reliability of internal operations, the quality of patient care can be further improved by extending this level of control outward to include interaction with patients. Finally, to expand the concept of quality, quality activities must be extended toward a multidisciplinary model of coordinated care.